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Coping with Grief

Sadly, there is no one clear answer to the question “how do I cope with grief?” Everyone goes through their own process and deals with the death of a loved one in different ways. The most important thing is to be patient with yourself and others, and allow yourself to feel whatever it is you might be dealing with at any given time.

Coping with Initial Grief

You may have family and friends to help and support you at the time of death, who will also help you with the details and decisions of the funeral. However, there are many people who have no-one to help, in which case they can rely on their Funeral Director, minister, solicitor, or other professionals. Regardless of how many people you do or don’t have around to help, little can prepare you for the grief you may experience. Grief is a normal response to loss. It often brings pain, both physical and emotional. Shock, anger, guilt, regret, numbness and loneliness are some of the feelings which are common.

Coping with Grief after the Funeral

After the funeral, people often find it hard to try to return to their day to day life. The funeral is largely considered the final goodbye, a notion that many of the deceased’s nearest and dearest struggle with. If you are one who is finding it hard to move on, know that there is nothing wrong with this. In fact, long-term grief is common and there are always people experiencing something similar.

The Signs of Grief

Many people are affected physically by their bereavement. You may feel unwell and generally very tired and not wanting to be bothered by anybody or anything. On the other hand, some people cannot sit still and even become hyperactive. There are many other ways that grief can affect you. The important thing is to recognise that the emotional shock can produce a physical reaction. If you do have a recurring physical problem, do make an appointment to see your doctor.

Many bereaved people have ‘heard’ the voice of their loved one, or even believe they have seen them. Such experiences are not uncommon, but do not usually last for many weeks.

Strategies for Coping with Grief

Different people find different ways of managing their grief. Do not be afraid of crying or showing emotion. Tears are known to relieve emotional stress and there is nothing to be ashamed of; they are a demonstration of the feelings you have for the person you have lost. Allow yourself time to grieve and adjust to your new situation, and always take time before making major decisions such as moving house.

Talking in complete confidence with someone, who is trained in supporting bereaved people, can be very helpful. Having the reassurance that your fears and anxieties are quite normal has proved to be a comfort to many thousands of bereaved people.

Find Your Local Funeral Director

Compassionate and Professional

Your calls will be taken in person locally not by a call centre, with complete confidentiality, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Simple Service Cremation £2950

To a local crematorium or cemetery, at a day and time that suits you, a coffin of our choice included. Third party costs are not included and need to be added to the above cost. Local crematoria cost can be found on this website by clicking the pricing tab.

Unattended Cremation £1250

When no service and no attendance is required. Day, time and crematorium at our discretion. Provision of our choice of coffin, suitable for the purpose of cremation, third party cost included.

Coping with Grief

Has Someone Passed Away?

We understand at this difficult time you need someone to guide you through it all. We’re on hand to help after someone you love dies.

Arranging a Funeral

We’ll talk you through the process and what’s involved, so that you can make the right decision both for you and your loved ones.

Pre-Paid Funeral Agreement

Funeral plans

As a company we are not a funeral Plan provider.

We are though in most circumstances able to carry out instructions from a funeral plan purchased from a third party. Please contact us, to discuss your needs.

Funeral Cost Calculator

Try our funeral cost calculator to see how we can meet your needs

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A Few Kind Words...

“Dear Beth,

Just a short note from all of us to say “Thank You” for all the effort that you applied to ensure that Sarah’s funeral passed so seamlessly.

If it can be described as a “Great Day” (which I know will sound odd) I mean it purely in terms of the balance between sadness and celebration was met – that also the weather was perfect, the co-ordination between service and committal was excellent, the flowers so beautiful and everyone played their part so well. It was largely down to you that it did work so well.

So a “Big Thank You”

Barry, Jemma, Matthew, Josie and William

Dear Chloe,

We just wanted to all thank you and the rest of Alan Greenwood team for providing excellent service for organising and conducting our mother’s funeral – The day went perfectly.

Mike

“Thank you so much for the care, support, compassion and understanding you showed with helping Chris and us to plan his funeral. You made a very difficult time for us more bearable for which we are very grateful. Thank you also for enabling all Chris’s plans to come to fruition. His ‘send-off’ was exactly what he wanted. Malcolm did a brilliant job too. Thank you, Jane, With love and sincere, thank you.”

Kathy, Samantha, Rosie and all the Sayer Family

“We would like to thank you very much for looking after Mum and for all the arrangements you made for her funeral last Thursday. Your professionalism, help and ready advice together with your sensitivity at such a difficult time was much appreciated by us all. Our best regards.”

Nigel, Colin Ian & Coraine Ferguson

“Just a note to say a huge thank you to yourself and the wonderful team at Send Greenwoods, they took care of us all yesterday at Les Ingram’s funeral. I’ve really valued your help and support over the last few weeks and the wonderful men yesterday went beyond their ‘call of duty’. They were certainly there at our great time of need. Please pass on my thanks to everyone. I also enclose four more donations. Many thanks again.”

Judith Hookins

Dear Mr Alan Greenwood, I cannot thank you and your team in Bookham enough, for the excellent service they provided in every respect in the Cremation of my wife.

Your resident Funeral Consultant Mary fully explained all we needed to understand and advised the options available to us.

Her in depth knowledge of all the service providers including, Order of Service, authors and print selection, Celebrant, Hall and refreshments.

So many things which without her I would have been lost.

In the past few days I have received so very many complements and praise for the service you gave.

Do please allow other potential clients to share our experience.

Yours sincerely

Terry Eves-Thorpe

Sheila Eves-Thorpe

“We just wanted to say a huge thank you for everything you did for us. You certainly made a very emotional and difficult time so much easier to bear. We are so grateful for the support you gave us and your gentle guidance along the way. Everything was perfect thanks to you and we would highly recommend you to all. With very best wishes.”

Family of Stanley Stearman

“I just wanted to drop you a line to say a massive thank you for everything you have done over the last two weeks. When I walked into Alan Greenwood’s on the 5th November I didn’t know where or how I was going to organise my lovely Mum’s funeral and the thought of it horrified me, you made a daunting job so much easier and were there to guide me all the way until the day of the funeral.”

I can’t thank you enough for your kind words, thoughts and help during this very difficult time. Losing someone as precious as mum is very hard but you helped so much. Thank you for everything you have done for mum, myself and my family.”

Sue, Mundy, Luke and Faye

“I would like to say a huge thank you to both Carina at Alan Greenwood and Sons in Frimley and the Celebrant. When my mother-in-law passed, we had absolutely no idea what we were doing other than needing to contact a funeral directors. After calling, Carina invited us into the Frimley branch for an informal chat and made us feel at ease straight away. She talked us through every step whilst being compassionate, caring and professional during the whole process. It was a difficult time that was made so much easier by the way Carina and Maria handled everything. When the Celebrant contacted us we were unsure of what we wanted for the service, with his knowledge and understanding he helped us to put together a service that was both relaxed, professional and perfectly suited to us. Thank you to the whole team!”

Sarah

“I would like to say a big thank you for everything. I had nothing to worry about, it all went so smoothly from the day of his death to the end of the funeral and in the circumstances could not have been better. Thank you so much.

I don’t have a great deal of experience in these matters, but compared to the other funeral directors I had to deal with, Greenwoods are the tops and you personally were a pleasure to deal with, you hit absolutely the right note.”

Ann Bishop

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